The Statistics Core serves to provide quality monitoring and improvements in the ares of data entry, verification, handling, and management on one hand, and design and statistical analysis on the other. In particular, the specific aims of the Statistics Core are the following: 1. Data Management Infrastructure and Quality Monitoring and Improvement Procedures. a. Provide quality assurance over all aspects of data management; b. develop and maintain a software library to meet the needs of the Center; c. develop and maintain a network to connect all Center faculty in order to facilitate communication (via e-mail), sharing of data, and for the rapid retrieval of information; d. monitor the intake and flow of subjects for subject flow meetings; and e. provide training and education for Center participants in the aforementioned hardware, software, and all data management related issues. 2. Statistical and Methodological Consultation a. Provide statistical consultation from the earliest stages of research design to the completion of data analysis and presentation of results; b. develop new statistical methodology when existing procedures are inadequate; c. offer statistical education and training to junior faculty members; and d. disseminate the work of the Statistics Core to investigators both within and outside the University of Pittsburgh through monographs on statistical methodologies applicable to these studies, and maintaining a library of statistical software packages that are developed by the Statistics Core or obtained from sources.